DAYTONA BEACH, Fla — William Byron raced to his second straight Daytona 500 victory, surviving a string of late-race wrecks that knocked out a bit of contenders and despatched the Hendrick Motorsports driver into victory lane Sunday evening at Daytona International Speedway.
Ninth within the No. 24 Chevrolet with one lap left, Byron was in the appropriate place by racing close to the surface wall in additional time to turned the primary back-to-back winner since Denny Hamlin in 2019-20.
Bryon took benefit of one other wreck on the ultimate lap — NASCAR didn’t drop the warning and let the sector race to the end — and took one other, acquainted burnout in Daytona International Speedway.
“It’s clearly actually particular,” Byron stated. “It’s an incredible race, and clearly plenty of loopy racing on the market tonight and simply plenty of pushing and shoving
The 27-year-old Byron held on to win after two climate delays totaling greater than 3 1/2 hours, and with President Donald Trump set to observe the remainder of the race in Florida, after he earlier led drivers on two laps across the monitor in his closely armored presidential limousine recognized in Washington as “The Beast.”
Hendrick Motorsports received its tenth Daytona 500 to interrupt a tie with Petty Enterprises for the document.
“Simply clearly lucky it labored out in our favor,” Byron stated. “Loopy? Yeah. I can’t truthfully consider that however we’re right here.”
Byron received for the 14th time in his Cup profession, and already set his sights on the championship race in Phoenix after ending third within the standings in every of the final two years.
“We plan on attempting to win plenty of races this yr, so we’re not going to cease right here,” Byron stated. “We’re going to proceed to push ahead and attempt to get to Phoenix.”
It wouldn’t be Daytona with out the ferocious late wrecks down the stretch that inevitably ship the race into additional time.
With 4 laps left, Ryan Preece turned upside-down and basically did a wheelie in his No. 60 Ford. His automobile flipped onto its roof and turned again onto its tires earlier than hitting the surface wall. Preece dropped his security web to sign to crews he was OK.
Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez and Brad Keselowski all had their pictures at victory lane spoiled, and the race was red-flagged, simply 11 laps after one other huge one shuffled the sector and knocked 4 former Cup Collection champions out of competition.
Reigning NASCAR champion Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse began the multi-car melee when Logano moved to the center and Stenhouse moved to dam him. It stacked up Logano, and the accordion impact despatched a number of automobiles — together with ones belonging to former Cup champs Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott — sliding in each path.
Busch’s automobile ended up on a wrecker, extending his skid to 0 for 20 in “The Nice American Race.”
Tyler Reddick was second and two-time Daytona 500 champion Jimmie Johnson was third. Chase Briscoe was fourth and John Hunter Nemechek fifth.
Go away a legacy
Johnson and Nemechek gave Legacy Motor Membership two top-five finishes. A Corridor of Fame driver and seven-time NASCAR champion, Johnson is now the bulk proprietor below an offseason restructuring. It was his highest end in race since he received it in 2013.
“I’ve feelings that I didn’t count on to have. I’ve by no means been on this place as an proprietor, and it’s actually opened up a special set of feelings,” Johnson stated after his highest end within the race since profitable in 2013.
Early exit
4-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and 2017 NASCAR champion Martin Truex Jr. have been among the many drivers whose race ended after they have been collected in a wreck earlier than the midway level.
Castroneves made the Daytona 500 below a brand new rule that enables for a “world-class driver” to obtain a provisional spot. He landed a NASCAR journey as a part of Trackhouse’s “Venture 91,” designed to offer famend racers from outdoors of the collection a shot in a inventory automobile.
“Upset, after all, as a result of I used to be studying a lot,” Castroneves stated. “It’s unimaginable when you’ve gotten extra laps into it, you perceive the airflow, the blokes, saving gas. There was some sketchy moments. What a disgrace. I want I used to be nonetheless on the market. There’s nonetheless extra to know, extra to be taught. I’m beginning to get slightly extra snug with the entire course of.”
Truex, who retired from full-time racing on the finish of final season, didn’t win the Daytona 500 in 21 tries.
“It’s at all times disappointing once you don’t end regardless of the state of affairs,” Truex stated. “It’s most likely our solely shot this yr. It was enjoyable whereas it lasted, however it was sadly improper place, improper time there.”
Truex completed thirty eighth and Castroneves thirty ninth.
Up subsequent
The collection shifts to Atlanta Motor Speedway the place Daniel Suarez is the defending race winner.
